Stevens 200 rifle+Accubonds....WOW!!

[Northwoods Hunter]

I still am chuckling on this one.... :roll:

A Sports shop I guide out of has been selling a lot of the new Savage/Stevens Model 200 bolt action rifles. He has been "bugging me " to endorse em. Telling me I wont believe how well they shoot. Waal I was very skeptical....after all...with at least $1000 or more invested in every rifle in my gun case how could a $260 rifle possibly match up?
Well, he practically gave me one so I opted for a 7mm08...a caliber I haven't got and am interested in. I thew on an older Nikon Monarch 3X9X40 I had sitting in the shop and hastily loaded up a doz rounds. I just picked up the Nosler Reloading manual and loaded some 140 gr NABs and 140 gr Sierra SBTs behind 41.5 gr of RE 15. I set my COL at SAMMI...2.800 for the NABs(2.78 for the SBTs)
The SBTs were a little erratic...(especially after cleaning out all the cosmoline) but the last two were almost touching. I ran my boresnake through and grabbed the last 6 rounds.
The 140gr Accubonds blew me away!!!
The first two were virtually in the same hole! I adjusted my scope to put them about an inch above the bull and fired away with the other four. Four shots....0.188"!!! Ridiculous....I am here to tell you these little Stevens 200s are the real deal! I hate to think what I could do with a little better trigger...guess I'll have to find out.

BTW...the trigger is adjustable too.

 

[longwinters]

From seeing the Stevens rifles the looks etc... do not impress me. But seeing Northwoods Hunters targets and reading what other peoples experiences seem to be, these things are shooters. And better yet they seem to love Accubonds.

long

 

[Blaine]

Glad to see this post. I just bought a Stevens 200 yesterday in 30-06. I was impressed with the pillared mounting of the action. I thought the barrel would have to be floated, but it already is ! I can't wait for it to stop raining so I can try it out. I don't have any dies for it yet, so I just bought a box of Rem Core-locked (165 gr) to try. I mounted a cheap scope for now. (Maine Vue Optics). I'll invest in a better scope next spring. I was not impressed with the trigger. It is adjustable....to a degree. I will get a Timney for it this spring also, and a metal trigger guard. Other than that I don 't intend to do anything else to it. I bought it strictly for deer hunting, so if I can get around a MOA I'll be very happy.

Blaine

 

[Northwoods Hunter]

Don't be surprised if you do better than MOA Blaine! Try some 165 Nosler solid base(cheap from Nosler Shooter's Pro Shop). I had great luck with 60gr of RE-19.
I too am getting a Timney replacement.

 

[Blaine]

Tom,

Thanks for the tips. I don't think I'll start hand loading for the '06 till the spring. I already have my loads worked up for my 270 and Encore 308 for this hunting season. I will be working up loads for the '06 next year and will try your suggestions.

Blaine